Large Truck Accident Lawyers in San Diego, California | Injuries

Large Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers in San Diego, California

The severe consequences of a large truck or tractor-trailer accident can be devastating to those affected by its aftermaths. Many tractor-trailers are carrying loads of 60,000 pounds or more on our California interstate highways and city streets. Sleeping habits of these truckers can be partly to blame for some of the accidents that do happen on the freeways.  If a commercial truck driver falls asleep, is inattentive, or if their brakes fail (due to improper maintenance), the resulting commercial truck accident can cause serious bodily injuries, including brain or head injuries and, unfortunately, many times, wrongful death (in most severe cases).  The good news is our commercial tractor-trailer accident attorneys have extensive legal experience in large truck accidents that happen through-out San Diego county, and through-out the state of California. We are familiar with federal (Department of Transportation) and state laws, in addition to federal regulations, which regulate the interstate trucking industry. These specific laws, statutes and regulations, and especially the familiarity with these laws are a primary component in the successful handling of a large commercial truck or tractor-trailer accident case.

Investigation into these types of cases are extremely important.  A key aspect of successfully handling a large California commercial truck or tractor-trailer accident case is undertaking a prompt investigation as soon as possible following the accident; this is needed to preserve evidence and witness testimony.  Also, if any other evidence is available, like photos, skid marks, or even video.  Many of my clients are able to video an accident soon after an accident because they now have a video module in their cell phones (as one example).  However, beyond this possibility, we work with a team of experts to preserve evidence immediately following a large California truck accident.  Some more examples of physical evidence can include the vehicles involved in the actual accident, and taking possession of them, and physical evidence from the accident scene (as indicated above, skid marks, measurements, and obtaining the "sleep log" from the truck driver.

Some more examples of physical evidence include:   accident debris, fluid stains, etc. If that information is not immediately obtained, this critical evidence can be lost, altered, or even destroyed forever.  Another reason immediate investigation is crucial in these type of commercial vehicle cases.   As previously indicated, any eyewitnesses to the accident must be spoken to as soon as possible - as time always affects memory.  Many large commercial truck companies dispatch their defense attorneys and accident investigators to the accident scene as soon as possible following an accident involving a large truck or tractor-trailer. This occurs whatever time of day or night and, in many cases, the defense attorneys and/or accident investigators can arrive before the local police!  These commercial companies have a lot at stack after an accident, since their big rigs can cause serious injuries.  The defense attorneys will prepare the driver to speak with the police in a way to minimize the exposure of the trucking company, if at all possbile. For these reasons, it is extremely important that you contact a California commercial truck accident attorney if you have been injured or suffered the loss of a loved one in a large California truck or tractor-trailer accident.

Some Reasons as to Why Large Commercial Truck Accidents Occur:

• Inattentive drivers or drivers who fall asleep at the wheel (this is a big reason!)
• Negligent maintenance and/or repair of tractor trailers (failure to properly maintain)
• Bad weather conditions, including rain, snow, or ice
• Inability to brake in time to avoid acciden
• The physics do not lie:  Tractor-trailers can weigh 10 times more than a passenger vehicle, and sometimes even more than that. Therefore, the amount of time it takes for a large truck or tractor trailer to brake and stop is significantly greater than that of a passenger vehicle. If a tractor-trailer driver does not maintain a reasonable and safe distance behind passenger vehicles while driving, they may be unable to stop and avoid an accident in the event of an emergency.

United States federal regulations limit the amount of time a driver of a tractor-trailer may spend driving in a single day, and over the course of a week.  This is for good reason regulated because again, there is a lot at stake with big rig truck drivers and potential vehicle accidents.  However, reality can dictate what the truck drivers actually do.  Since the truck drivers have pressure by their corporate employers to deliver their cargo and/or make additional earnings, commercial truck drivers frequently disregard federal and state laws and drive for more hours than permitted by federal and state law. Some even go so far as to maintain and a falsify sets of log book/sleep logs; and use medication to get them "artificially awake."  The good news, however, is that many large commercial trucks and tractor-trailers have GPS satellite tracking devices and "black box" computer information on board their vehicles.  The GPS systems monitor the commercial truck in many different ways.  Again, this evidence must be preserved immediately following a California truck accident.  Some examples of what the GPS systems monitor included:  how long the tractor-trailer was on the road, how fast it was going at the time of the accident, and other information extremely crucial to your bodily injury case.

You will definitely need a good legal team on your side to combat what you have read above. Remember, there is a lot at stake in terms of liability that can face a commercial truck company when an accident occurs. They hire the biggest guns to defend their case as soon as possible. Our California tractor-trailer attorneys assemble an experienced team of lawyers, accident reconstruction experts, tractor-trailer experts, engineering experts, private investigators, all of whom worked together to investigate, and develop and prosecute large California truck accident cases.